Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Certain Clarity ❯ 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Title: A Certain Clarity (7/30)

Author: Franzi Dickson

E-mail: fdickson@ix.netcom.com

Archive: The SxSAS Archive, fanfiction.net and others (eventually). If you want it on your site, just ask.

Rating: NC-17 for wet dreams, sex, drugs, violence and other badness.

Warnings: m/m sex, lemon, assorted bad things in this part and future ones

Disclaimer: They don't belong to me. I'm just doing bad things with them. Don't sue me.

He crouched in the shadows of the alleyway. The painted flower symbol was still faintly visible on the warehouse opposite. A chilly breeze ruffled his hair. He was suddenly perversely happy that he'd sent Saitou that note. He just hoped that the cop didn't show up before he'd had a chance to investigate the place alone. Hah. He probably won't even think a note of mine is important enough to investigate! He dashed across the street to plaster himself against the side of the building. He probably should have worn something less eye-catching, but he didn't exactly have a lot of options in his meager wardrobe. Could have asked to borrow something of Saitou's, he thought with amusement. Oh well, it wouldn't matter much once he was in the building anyway. He broke the lock and slipped inside.

He fumbled a moment with his lamp. The room was dusty and cramped. Old packing cases littered the floor. Must just be the entryway. Two doors led into the rest of the warehouse. Sano poked his head through the nearer of them. Another cramped room, less dusty this time. A desk was piled high with ledgers and broken writing materials. Must be the office. So the other must be…

This room was much larger than the others. Taking up the bulk of the warehouse, its ceiling stretched away into darkness. His light revealed neat rows of crates stacked as high as his head. Hmm… He prowled around. Most were still nailed shut, but a few at the opposite end of the room had been taken down and opened. He thought the resealing job looked pretty hasty. Sure enough, he managed to pry the top off of one to reveal bolts of fabric in a nondescript beige. Just an innocent textiles importer then? Yeah right. He pulled out one of the bolts. No strange lumps. He unrolled it. Nothing but fabric. He pulled out a few more bolts. The wooden bottom of the crate gleamed dully back at him. Damn. They must have found somewhere else to hide it then. There's no way this place is legit! He stood back and examined the crates. They looked normal. They were full of fabric, if this one was any indication. If it was in the crates in the back rows, he wouldn't be able to get at it by himself given the crates' size. He'd barely be able to get his arms around one. That was funny… Perhaps it had merely been a trick of the light, but he hadn't pulled out all that many bolts… He peered into the crate again. It wasn't just his imagination; though deep, it was a bit shallower inside than it should have been. He tapped on the side. Did it sound hollow? He wasn't sure. He listened intently.

What was that? He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He could have sworn that he heard something out there.

"What the...?"

"Looks like somebody broke the lock."

Oh hell! He ducked behind a row of crates. Please let them think I'm already gone. He didn't fancy meeting those louts from before in an enclosed space.

"Search the whole place."

"Do you think he's still here?"

"Who'd be dumb enough to break in here?"

"Are you sure no one else has found out?"

"It doesn't matter after tonight anyway. Find whoever it is and bring him here."

The voices got closer.

Sano slid along the crates, making for the entrance. With any luck they'd be away from the door and he could run for it. The noise was so soft he barely had time to turn his head before the world dissolved into bright spots and then darkness.

Damn cowards Sano thought to himself.

They still got you, didn't they?

Shut up! He tested his bonds, but they wouldn't budge. You've really done it this time, Sagara Sanosuke. But what was he supposed to do? The chair (removed from the office he supposed) has sturdy and whoever had tied him had done an excellent job. He scanned the room: three of them. They seemed to be waiting expectantly. Wasn't there another one? He looked up quickly at the sound of approaching footsteps.

The man was carrying a leather case. He set it down in front of Sano. "Now, I'd like to know just what you are doing here." He waited expectantly.

Sano just stared at him. Best not to tip his hand too early.

"Nothing to say?" he asked indifferently. "Very well." He opened the case.

Sano caught a glimpse of silver glinting from inside.

"I'll be honest: we're going to kill you anyway. It's your choice how fast it happens." The man extracted a thin knife and closed the case again.

Oh shit! He had to get out of here and fast.

The man approached, holding the knife before him. He held it in front of Sano's eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Silence.

A sudden motion and Sano felt his bandanna slither down his neck and drift to the floor. Bastard.

"I know you attacked one of my men last night." He sliced through Sano's jacket, carefully removing the black lapels. "I really should have been more careful, I suppose, but it never occurred to me that anyone would find out. How did you know to go after him?" His hand moved in small, precise motions.

Sano tried not to think about how sharp the knife must be to shred his jacket so easily but leave his skin untouched. "I don't know what you're talking about, you jerk. Takeshi, was it?" The right side of his jacket was starting to resemble lace. "Is this how you weirdoes get your kicks?"

"How did you find out?"

Damn. He couldn't distract the guy.

"Was it the police? What do they know?"

"Uh… They've figured it all out. They wouldn't tell me everything. I was just coming in advance to check things out."

The man stiffened. "Oh?"

He wouldn't believe a lie like that. Stupid Sano! Think first next time. Next time…

"When? When are they coming?"

He couldn't actually be buying it. "I don't know. They might only be a few minutes behind me." God, I wish!

The man was looking nervous. "We can't afford any interruptions right now!" He nodded to one of the thugs. "Go check it out." He muttered angrily to himself.

Sano shuddered. The man was still intently working on his jacket. Please don't let his hands slip. He breathed a sigh of relief as the man moved away.

"If they're really that close, then we have no further need of you." He knelt by the case. Selecting a larger knife, he stood.

"What? I thought you weren't done interrogating me." If he could stall them just a little more, maybe he could get another one to leave the room. He pulled at the ropes again.

"I've found out all that matters."

The knife was very bright, even in the relative darkness of the warehouse.

There was a shout from the entryway. The two remaining thugs leapt to their feet, only to fall back again under the force that erupted from the doorway. Sano had a brief impression of speed and darkness there before his captor lunged at him. He rocked back sharply, sending the chair and himself crashing to the floor as the knife slashed the air over his head.

"Sano!"

He stared up at the burning eyes in surprise.

"Sano?"

He coughed. "Sorry, I just had the wind knocked out of me."

Strong hands righted the chair. Saitou knelt behind him to slash at the knots binding him to the chair.

"The knife was good for something after all", he said inanely.

"Ahou."

He stood up rubbing his wrists. Chou was busy tying up the unconscious thugs. Sano hoped they were only unconscious anyway.

Saitou nodded to his hands. "You're lucky you didn't do worse damage, landing on them like that." His voice was annoyed. "What the hell were you doing, ahou?"

Gee, nice to see you too, Saitou. "Investigating."

"That is a matter for the police."

Back to his usual pompous self, I see. "Oh, please. You guys would never even have found out about this."

"In due time…"

"Bull. After tonight it would have been too late. The knife guy said so."

"Indeed it would have been."

They spun. A well-dressed man stepped from the shadows, his pistol trained on them.

"I suggest that if you wish to live through the night, you do exactly as I say."

"You can't escape: the rest of them are just behind us. It's a pity for you that you decided to show up now." The policeman's voice was cold and deadly.

"Oh, I've been here for a while. Don't think that that absurd lie will work twice." He smiled.

"Unlike the ahou, I have no need to lie."

"Fujita-san?"

The men in blue uniforms crowded through the doorway. Sano didn't think he'd ever been quite so glad to see anyone.

Except maybe a few minutes ago.

Shut up!, he told the voice. He turned to go. "Well, I guess the joke's on you, mister drug dealer." Who cared if Saitou couldn't admit it; he knew he's helped.

Chou's eyes widened. "Look out!"

He spun. There was the thundering sound of a shot and he found himself falling again. The impact was even worse this time with the weight on top of him. He lay there, his ears ringing. The wool uniform was surprisingly soft on his bare skin. My poor jacket, he thought as the room filled with rushing figures. Damn. What did the psycho cop do that for?

'Cause you were about to get wasted, dummy.

Yeah, but does he have to keep lying on me? He's heavy. His chest heaved as he tried to get his breath back. He breathed in the pungent tobacco smell. He began to come back to himself. His heart was beating very fast. He was aware of Saitou's warmth and of the cold of the floor beneath his back and of a wetness spreading on his chest.

What?

He brought one hand up to wipe it away. He stared blankly at his soiled palm for a moment. Oh shit. His chest was seizing up again. He was hit. No. Oh my god! Saitou!

"Boss? We've got him secured. You can get up now."

Sano felt the weight lift.

"Ahou. I will ask you again; just what the hell did you think you were doing?"

"Are you ok, rooster-head? You're hyperventilating."

"Y… You." He couldn't seem to come out with anything coherent.

"I do hope that almost getting killed will have knocked some sense into you, though I sincerely doubt it." He lit a cigarette. There was a small stain on one sleeve of his uniform, slightly darker even than the dark blue of the fabric.

His hands weren't even shaking, Sano noticed with annoyance. His own teeth were chattering so hard he couldn't speak.

"I'm a respectable business man! You can't do this! I was just defending myself against a dangerous intruder. Search if you like. You won't find anything."

"What did you do; hide put false bottoms in the crates?" The policeman blew out a long stream of smoke.

"Damn you!"

"Any idiot would have thought to look there. Take him away."

It isn't fair, Sano thought as Saitou looked down at him again.

"And as for you, ahou; stay out of police business. We don't need your help, got that?" He stalked away.

Sano lay there gasping.

"Hey, are you sure you're ok, rooster-head?" Chou offered him a hand up.

Bastard.